Dwarves of Du'Rothin
The Dwarves of Du'Rothin have occupied the Rach'oin Mountains for as long as the Elves have occupied the T'ladi'en Woods. The peaks around the glacial lake, Wa'oin, have served as their home for as long as their history can recall. They have carved deep and poweful fortresses into the spine of the world, and from deep within their mountain homes they have sought to perfect their craft for generations past. Physical Description While all Dwarves are short of height and thick of build, their physical variations otherwise vary nearly as widely as the Human newcomers to the west. Hill Dwarves, or Surface Dwarves, have fair skin and red to blonde hair, with eye colors ranging from blue to green to hazel. Their beard and hair are often worn braided, with the length of their braids being a symbol of pride amongst dwarven men and women alike. Mountain Dwarves, on the other hand, stand slightly shorter than Hill Dwarves, and have darker complexions, with their skin ranging from olive to dark brown. Their hair is typically black, though it goes to grey in old age, and it is combed straight throughout their lives, interwoven with metal and fine stones for decoration when the occasion calls for it. Gold Dwarves have the same dark olive to brown skin of their Mountain Dwarf brethren, but their hair is typically blonde to platnium, and is fixed with wax and oil into a variety of styles that denote both position and occasion amongst the Dwarven people. Society and Culture Hill Dwarves, as they are known amongst their people, are the most commonly known to other races, and make their settlements on the hills and mountain slopes rather than within the mountains as their kin. These "surface Dwarves" act as intermediaries between their people and outside races, though sometimes that role is relegated to that of a simple guide or messenger to facilitate passage throughout the difficult and unforgiving terrain of the Rach'oin. They act as the lowest class of Dwarven society, though the position is hardly one they consider a dishonor. They are the scouts and rangers of the Dwarven armies, keeping watch for encroaching enemies and surveying new mineral despotis. At home, away from the duties of war, they are largely herdsmen, and dress themselves in the heavy furs of their flocks over their chainmail armors which, along with their weapons, are bartered for with meat from their cousins within the mountain. Mountain Dwarves are the most populace Dwarf within Dwarven society. They make up the bulk of Dwarven workers, soldiers, merchants, bureaucrats, and priests, essentially forming the lower middle class of Dwarven society. Unlike in some Human cultures, Mountain Dwarves take pride in their station as the foundation and walls of Dwarven society. They see their position as one that demands respect, as Dwarven society could not survive without them. The Gold Dwarves see this as well, and convey respect for their position accordingly. Gold Dwarves are the upper class of Dwarven society. They are the high priests, the nobility, the generals, and the monarchy, in essence the leadership of Dwarven race. Theirs are positions of happy burdens, and while they consider themselves individually more important than those beneath them, they acknowledge the important of the lower classes as well, and are do not exhibit the harshness that is common in other class systems. Relations For all of the Dwarves' recorded history, their only enemies have been the Goblins, Giants, and Dragons that they have chased from their homelands, as well as the Bugbears that yet remain. Never have the Dwarves raised sword against the Nations of Elf or Man in all their existance, though old tales speak of dark cousins from the deep that once threatened their safety. Now, the Orcs are counted amongst their enemies as well, and the Dwarves frequently engage in campaigns against the Orc hordes, especially in the years of their swellings. Between the Elves and Dwarves lie the Gnomes, whom both races consider a cousin, and thus much trade and diplomacy flows through them. No such mediary lies between Human and Dwarf, but there has been little need, as the rigid decorum of the Dwarven people served as acceptable politeness to Humans, and the Human praise (and competition) in craftsmenship served as a foundation for respect for the Dwarves. The two races have a strong trade relationship, and even coordinate their military actions against the Orcs in times of great peril. The only pitfall that has developed between the two races is the taxation of Human farmers in the foothills of the Rach'oin Mountains, which both Human and Dwarven nobles claim the right of. The Dwarves have made good on their promises of protection, however, and thus the Humans do not complain too loudly of the double taxation, as the safety of the region is unmatched among others that border the Wastes. Alignment and Religion Dwarves follow a variety of alignments, though Gold and Mountain Dwarves tend to be more lawful in nature, while Hill Dwarves tend to be more Chaotic. Good and evil are evenly represented among the populace of the Rach'oin, though a strong societal emphasis on morality tends to give those with good hearts (or at least the appearance of such) an upper hand when climbing the social ladder. Religion amongst Dwarves is a very private and sacred thing. Some religions have sprung forth from the Mountain Kingdom, such as that of Qarros , the Dwarven deity of war. Others, such as the faith of the World-Father, have remained exclusive to Dwarven worship and grant no other races spells. Adventures Dwarves venture forth from their mountain homes for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they seek to sell their crafts in far off lands, where they can perfect their trades before returning home to seek prestige among their kin. Other times, they seek the enemies of their clan for some rite of passage or visionquest. Many times, these enemies, such as Dragons, Giants, and others, no longer live in the mountains where the Dwarves make their homes, and thus they must travel great distances to complete their rites. Still, others simply seek glory that is unavailable to those that live the common life under the mountain. Unlike Humans, Dwarves largely accept adventure as part of the act of growing up, and are not completely surprised when their sons or daughters come of age and hear the cry of the road. As is popular to say among the dwarves, "As many fortunes are made beyond the mountain, as under it." Names Dwarven names are typically heavy on consonants such as H, F, G, and W in their first syllables, while yieldling to sharper consonants such as N and M in their final syllables. Given names rarely have any real meaning, though they sometimes sound like other words in the Dwarven tongue, but family names are typically directly translatable to the common tongue from Old Dwarven. While Mountain and Hill Dwarves tend to use the common translation of their names, Gold Dwarves tend to favor the Old Dwarven pronunciations when using their family names. Given Names: Furdheim, Gweffen, Hans, Hfuwien Family Names: Blackiron, Hardanvil, Heavyhammer, Summerlead. Category:Races